Phyto-technology to reduce water pollution and sustain forestry and agroforestryactivities in the South Mediterranean region Paolo De Angelis DIBAF University of Tuscia Viterbo- Italy
PEOPLE INVOLVED Paolo DE ANGELIS, Sara DA CANAL, Maria Cristina MONTEVERDI Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF) University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy Hocine LARBI, Ali MILOUDI, Mohamed BENSLIMANE, Benaricha BOUMEDIENE, Zahira SOUIDI Laboratoire de Recherches des SystèmesBiologiques et Géomatique (LRSBG) University of Mascara, Mascara, Algeria Zora GHAZI, Abdelkader BENKEIRA, Sabrina RACHEDI, Nars Eddine KAZI AOUAL Direction General des Forêt(DGF), Alger, Algeria
THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION With a population (in 2010) of 507 million people on three continents and an extremely rich natural and cultural heritage, the Mediterranean is an ecoregion, in which human and economic development is largely dependent on sometimesscarce natural resources and a vulnerable environment. After thousands of years of coevolution between ecosystems and societies, human activities are creating substantial environmental pressure, with significant disparities between the northern, southern and eastern rims. From: FAO State of Mediterranean Forests 2013
MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES, GROUPED INTO THREE SUBREGIONS From: FAO State of Mediterranean Forests 2013
STEPPES AND DESERTS DOMINATES THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES Source: Derived from FAO and JRC, 2012 and Iremonger and Gerrand, 2011
WATER: A SCARCE AND UNEQUALLY DISTRIBUTED RESOURCE The SEMCsaccounted for a little more than one-quarter (27 percent) of the region s water resources in 2009. If Turkey is excluded, they accounted for only 6 percent, yet they are home to 40 percent of the region s population. Water resources, Mediterranean countries, 2012 Source: FAOSTAT, 2012, AQUASTAT database
THE SIMULTANEOUS NATURE OF BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS CAUSES OASIS DEGRADATION Human pressure Demographic growth Over-exploitation of natural resources New techniques of agricultural production (i.e. pivot) and water/soil management (ex. water retention basin and dam) are gradually destroying traditional organization Impacts Groundwater depletion Vegetation reduction Water and soil pollution Soil salinity Soil degradation Cultural and social impacts Climate changes Persistence of high temperatures Low precipitation The rise in frequency of extreme events like dust storms and heavy rain Ouargla, Algeria - AFRICA: Atlas of Our Changing Environment - UN
How can we avoid the risk of ground water and soil pollution? How can we develop the oasis without damaging the palm grove? Development of non-conventional water resources: wastewater harvesting natural treatment system treated wastewater reuse MODULAR APPROACH Improving of agroforestry plantation: reclamation of marginal degraded land establishment of a green belt that protects the palm grove protection of soil from wind erosion bringing of economic benefits carbon sequestration
CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS TO TREAT THE WASTE WATER Natural wetlands act as bio-filters, removing sediments and pollutants from the water; constructed wetlands can be designed to emulate these features. Vegetation in a wetland provides a substratum (roots, stems, and leaves) upon which microorganisms can grow as they break down organic materials. Theplantsremoveabout70%to90%of pollutants,andactasacarbonsource for the microbes when they decay.
PILOT APPLICATIONS OF PHYTOTECHNOLOGIES IN THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES Phytotechnologies use plants to remediate various media impacted with different types of contaminants. Projects sponsors Scientific & technical partners UNIVERSITÉ DE MASCARA In different sites, we are developing an integrated approach to reduce water pollution (treating the waste water by constructed wetland) and to promote land rehabilitation (planting trees according to a multipurpose scheme and local needs).
PROJECT ACTIVITIES IN ALGERIA - OASES
THE OASIS OF BRÉZINA ALGERIA Groundwater depletion resulting from two combined effects: the increasing urban population and the excessive retention of Seggueur dam upstream of the oasis Palm grove death Risk of groundwater contamination due to the outflow of untreated wastewater
A PILOT - EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEM Two parallel natural treatment chains compose the system : CW B is a constructed wetland with horizontal superficial flow and it is composed by three cells alternating aerobic to anaerobic process. CW A is a constructed wetland with horizontal sub-superficial flow composed by three separated cells. A final storage basin is required to homogenize the flow rate variation during the day and to provide a minimal water storage.
A PILOT - EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEM The experimental multi-purpose agro-forestry system is designed to test different cultural thesis, which can be integrated in large scale, and to generate several environmental services as: combat desertification, sequester atmospheric CO2, creates new habitats and conserve the biodiversity, maximise the water use efficiency. At the same time the experimental system would generate new sustainable local economies. Agroforestry testing plots: species (wood & forage); densities (biomass); genotypes evaluation
THE OASIS OF TAGHIT -ALGERIA Zousfana river, along which stretches the oasis of Taghit, is the main source of water for the area. The surface runoff caused by precipitation on the hydrologic units, its manifest form of floods very important since the watersheds of major rivers are relatively stretched north - south and drain large reliefs. Along the valley of river Zousfana, flood runoff play an important role in the recharge of groundwater of the oasis of Taghit, also considering that the mean period between two major floods is of about two years. Meanwhile the flood is the main process diluting the mineral and organic loads of the river Zousfana resulting from direct discharges of sewage.
THE GENERAL SCHEME OF CONSTRUCTED WETLAND
DIFFERENT DESIGNS ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL CHARACTERISTICS
CONSOLIDATION OF THE SLOPES USING WOODY PLANTS
AROMATIC PLANTS AND SHRUBS TO REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF TREATMENT BASIN
TEST PLOTS FOR FIELD TRIAL OF TREES SPECIES IRRIGATED WITH TREATED WASTE WATER
THE PROJECT AREA OF OUECHATA - TUNISIA The city of Ouechtatais located in the area of the dam of Sidiel Barrak. The dam is located on the river Zouaâra, 2 km from the coast and it blocks about 265 million cubic meters of water. The area of the reservoir reached 2734 hectares and the normal level of the water is about 27 meters from the sea level. Protect the water reservoir from pollution The aquifer of Nefza, is in the dunes and covers an area of some 40 km 2. It is in contact with the sea over a length of 10 km. The groundwater is of excellent quality (salinity less than 0.5 g/l). The rate of abstraction determines the intrusion of seawater.
THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION AND MANY THANKS TO ALL THE FRIENDS THAT WE ENCOUNTERED ON THE ROAD